The residents of Waikoloa Village petition Governor Josh Green and Mayor Mitch Roth to update the Hawaii Department of Transportation’s (HDOT) Long-Range Transportation Plan for Hawai’i County to include a second publicly dedicated access road at the north end of Waikoloa Village. 

We are deeply concerned about our community's safety in the event of fire or other disaster. 

• Our current single access road does not provide adequate evacuation routes for all our 7,500 current residents much less the projected 3,500 additional residents expected over the next few years.
• Fires in 2005 and 2021 demonstrated that additional access routes are needed to provide safe evacuation for Village residents.
• The size and frequency of wildfires on Hawaii Island continues to accelerate, increasing the likelihood of another event.
• Adding a second dedicated access road to the Long-range Transportation Plan is required for the road to be eligible for possible state and federal funding.

Why this matters:

The State, County and private landowners with development interests recently announced their intention to develop an access route from the north end of Waikoloa Village to State Highway 19 that will be paid for by the private landowners. This route will only be open for emergency access until upgraded to become a second permanent access road.

• These intentions are not confirmed in binding written commitments that include funding and a schedule for completion.
• Experience warns that the best of intentions may not be fulfilled due to economic circumstances or other events beyond their control.
• In the event the private landowners do not fulfill their intentions, public resources may be needed to complete the project.
• The second access road must be on the Long-range Transportation Plan in order to be included in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). STIP is used to allocate State and Federal transportation construction funds to implement transportation priorities.  

I support the residents of Waikoloa Village and urge Governor Green and Mayor Roth to take all necessary steps to protect the community’s safety by adding a second access road for Waikoloa Village to the Long-range State Transportation Plan.